US car maker: MidEast sales up 13% in 2011

US car manufacturer General Motors (GM) said on Wednesday that its sales in the Middle East rose 13 percent in 2011 compared to the previous year. After posting the best sales month of the year in December, GM's dealers in the Middle East reported total sales of 139,431 vehicles for 2011. GM said in a statement that robust sales were seen throughout the region and across the Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac brands. In 2011, sales of GM's passenger cars increased by 8 percent, crossovers recorded 23 percent sales growth, sales of SUVs were up 21 percent, while GM's pickups registered a 14 percent sales gain. Chevrolet sales were up 16 percent, GMC posted a 10 percent gain, while Cadillac registered 8 percent growth. Retail sales, those to individual customers, increased by 44 percent in 2011 compared to the previous year, GM added. "In 2011 we faced some serious challenges. Yet, by offering award winning products with strong emphasis on our customer service, we were able to overcome these obstacles and significantly grow our sales," said John Stadwick, president and managing director of GM Middle East Operations. "Our outlook for 2012 is very positive. We believe that the Middle East is set to become one of the world's fastest growing automotive markets and we are well placed to capitalise on this growth. "With six new vehicles planned for launch in 2012 and a strong investment programme in new dealer facilities and training, we anticipate 2012 will be another successful year for GM Middle East," added Stadwick.